Defendant threw sword over wall when he saw garda approaching

A 23-YEAR- OLD Polish national who carried a large sword in public is being given a chance to do community service instead of going to prison for five months. Sitting at Swords District Court, Judge Dermot Dempsey said that the man's story that he was selling the sword to a friend was 'not plausible'. Marian Moskwa, Seafield Court, Rush had contested the charge that he was in possession of an offensive weapon after 10pm on July 19. Garda Conor Morris told the court that as he approached Mr Moskwa out on the public path in Seafield Court, he took a large sword from out of his trousers and threw it over a nearby wall. The defendant told the court that he had purchased the sword at a Sunday market in Balbriggan over a year ago as he likes Asian culture.

He displayed it over his mantlepiece in his home and only took it out in public on the night in question as he was going to sell it to a friend who had offered him a good price for it. However, when he was on his way to sell the sword, his friend rang to say that he could not come to meet him that night. He was on his way home when he saw the garda car and when he saw the Gardai coming towards him, he 'panicked' and threw the sword over the wall. Not accepting Mr Moska's story that he did not have an illegal or aggressive purpose for being in possession of the sword, Judge Dempsey said that he was convicting him. The Judge adjourned the case to Swords District Court on December 3rd for a report on the defendant's suitability to carry out 240 hours of community service instead of a prison sentence. Judge Dempsey also issed a destruction order for the defendant's sword.